Themes of Immigration Rhodes Island: Rhodes, legendary island of Helios the Sun God and Rose of the Aegean is famous worldwide for the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and, for the World Heritage listed, medieval Old Town of the Crusader Knights. Rhodes is the capital, financial and cultural centre of the Dodecanese Islands. Southern Rhodes: A haven of rugged landscapes, traditional, whitewashed villages, hilltop monasteries and tranquility. Its hilly slopes provide a sanctuary of a bygone era in all its variety and vitality. In the quiet of nature, you can feel the golden sunlight, breathe fresh, clean air and enjoy the delight of colorful wildflowers in spring that carpet its hilly slopes. Mesanagros: Set in unspoiled surroundings, this tiny village with its white-washed homes and narrow streets, its two historic churches and its many wonderful little monasteries has a legacy of goat herding and farming. Sitting under the old platano tree outside the kafeneio (cafe) and next door to the historic 5th century AD Church, Koimisis tis Theotokou, you can share the tranquility of village life with the birds happily chirping their wonderful songs. Spiritual Trails: Southern Rhodes is known for its history, culture and for its rich spiritual heritage. It is uniquely blessed with many fine churches, remote hilltop monasteries and for their wonderful village festivals. Mihalis Pizimolas: Service is central to Christian belief because we follow a God who loves and a Christ who came to serve. Papa Matheos Stamatakis: The Greek Orthodox faith of Father Matheos Stamatakis became the centre of his life. He found his passion in serving God and prepared himself to share in the Special Mission of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ. The Lucky Country: Many Greeks struggling with the aftermath of the Second World War and the bitter Civil War that followed were drawn by the economic conditions in Australia. With the uncertainty and economic instability of Post-War Europe thousands of Greeks migrated to the Lucky Country hoping for a more stable future. Immigrant Life Stories: Going to war in a foreign country was a sacrifice Theo James Giamalis had to make as well as his family that loved him. It had the biggest emotional impact on his young life having to cope with the harsh realities of war and to see the horrors on the battlefields and trenches. The Little Homemaker: The stories of Adelaide’s pioneer immigrants are told through the lives of ordinary individuals and families. Nine year old, Tsambika (Betty), their daughter, became the traditional nikokira (homemaker), providing a valuable helping hand to her parents who worked from early morning to late at night, seven days a week, silently and uncomplaining. Betty, the perfect little nikokira was fully committed to helping reduce the burden of her hard-working parents by doing chores around the house. Through all this, she learned valuable life skills for the future. Dimitios Giamalis: Standing high up on the scaffold with his steel-capped boots and trowel in hand Dimitrios Giamalis epitomized what the building trade is all about - hard work, persistence, a desire to learn new skills and to embrace new techniques and a passion for his work. Immigrant Life Themes: Humble immigrants who, through hard work and sacrifice, toiled and endured in marketing gardening, the building industry and the factory environment to forge a place for themselves in the Lucky Country. Serving God Serving Humanity: Service is central to Christian belief because we follow a God Who Loves and a Christ Who came to serve. Faith exercises a power over a Christian's life in a remarkable way to manifest a Christian spirit in all they do. God weaves His Goodness through humble people to build wholesome communities and to strengthen Christian faith.